How do you say “The whole nine yards” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is das volle Programm, which literally means “the full programme”. English speakers use the whole nine yards to mean everything possible or available, with nothing left out. A lively choice when every extra has been included. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
das volle Programm
/das ˈfɔlə pʁoˈɡʁam/
- Literal meaning
- “the full programme”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
96 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
“Das volle Programm” works well after a list: decorations, music, food and all the rest. It keeps the English sense of doing something fully.
It can sound enthusiastic or slightly amused by the amount of effort. For a formal description, spell out what the package actually includes.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
They arranged flowers, a band and dinner—the whole nine yards.
German
Sie organisierten Blumen, eine Band und ein Abendessen – das volle Programm.
English
For her birthday, we're going the whole nine yards.
German
Zu ihrem Geburtstag gibt es bei uns das volle Programm.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-19